GBU Bologna

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Praise:

  • The Wintercamp this year in Marradi, in the province of Florence, was an amazing experience for strengthening friendships and meeting new people
  • A number of non-Christians have been coming to our bible studies in the canteen since the beginning of the year, sometimes participating more than Christian students!

Prayer:

  • To see non-Christians change their stance: that we’d see the fruit of the gospel!
  • For three weeks in May we will have a series of evangelistic studies, ‘Knowing Jesus’. Pray that these would fulfil their objective!
  • That God would guide us in doing some public events, a missions weeks or something similar, that we’d reach lots of students that we haven’t yet met.

GBU Cosenza

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I really want to thank the Lord for how he’s carrying forward the work of the GBU in Cosenza!
A reason to praise God is definitely the fact that the group is spiritually growing, with students more eager and curious to get to know the Lord and his word. In particular, I’d like to give God glory for Francesco and Vincenzo, two students who are experiencing what it’s like to live life with Jesus. By now, they are regulars at the GBU meetings (but also in the Cosenza community), and I believe that the Lord has begun a work of salvation in their lives. We are all really happy and grateful to God for this!
We regularly have dinner together after the meetings, and this is especially beneficial for strengthening the sense of family in the group. Thanks be to God for that.
The evangelistic events continue, but unfortunately the number of days per month in which we’re allowed to use the university space for these events has been halved from 6 to 3. Please pray that we’d be given extra days.
At a regional convention ‘Calabro’ (in Cirò Marina, Crotone province, 25/04/2016), in collaboration with the group in Catanzaro we decided to publicise the work of the GBU to students who will be attending universities in Calabria in the next couple of years. Please pray that new students will be willing to commit to working in the university mission field.
Pray for this group, that it would continue to grow in number and knowledge. Pray for the coordinators, myself and Caterina, that we can dedicate more to the Lord and be an encouragement to this group!

Stefano

GBU Bari

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I’m the student leader of the group in Bari and this year, for the first time, I’ve been blessed with student housing. It’s been great, because I’ve been able to get to know new people and the Lord has given me the opportunity to speak of him with these people on a number of occasions.
In particular, a student from the same town as me that I didn’t know previously. I’m building a very close friendship with him and several times the Lord has paved the way for me to evangelise, and I’ve discovered that the Lord has been speaking to this young man in different ways for 5 years and he’s now using me to speak to him again.
He hasn’t yet surrendered to the Lord because he feels unsure .. But I trust that the Lord will continue to speak into his heart. (Michele)

Praise:

  • For the communion that we manage to have despite being so few.. Despite the difficulties we have in trying to meet, the times that we do are truly precious for each one of us, and encouraging when facing the trials of everyday life at university

Prayer:

  • That each member of the group would have a heart for sharing Jesus student-to-student
  • That we can work to evangelise and fulfil the vision of the GBU
  • That the coordinator would be more eager to spur on the others and is given wisdom in best organising the meetings and events

GBU Firenze

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Praise:

  • The Wintercamp organised at the end of February with the group in Bologna was a great blessing. God gave us the opportunity to study his Word and have a time of sharing and encouragement.
  • The groups at the weekly bible study continue to grow.
  • Lots of new contacts and people who are enthusiastic to work with the GBU to share the gospel with students.

Prayer:

  • That the relationship with non-Christian students can be strengthened and they’d have the desire to know Jesus.
  • For the organisation and running of the monthly meals, which are always an opportunity for students that are part of the group to bring along friends.
  • For the continual training of coordinators and leaders.

GBU Torino

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Recently in Turin, the Lord has blessed us greatly. We’ve organised various events, including a conference with Stefan Gustavsson. We have a really encouraging testimony of a foreign student who has been with the group for two years (and is a more active member this year). She told us that before coming to Italy, she would not have called herself a Christian, but thanks to our passion she has discovered the joys of the Christian life and how important it is to share Jesus with others. Testimonies like this renew our strength and push us to work even harder for the Lord, knowing that he is one our side!

Praise:

  • non-Christians that come along to meetings and events
  • the conference with Stefan Gustavsson, especially the conversations we had with non-Christians during and after the conference
  • Christian students that have recently got involved

Prayer:

  • for more Christian students willing to actively contribute to the group
  • that we’d be able to follow up on non-Christians that have shown interest, bringing them closer to Jesus

GBU Milano

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Praise:

  • for how God has always provided a place for our meetings, meaning we have never had to postpone
  • for the great sense of friendship and participation that’s forming in the group
  • for the various non-Christians that have continued to come along since the first meetings, and for the newcomers joining us

Prayer:

  • for the meetings planned for the rest of the academic year, that God would give us wisdom in the organisation and running of both the bible studies and extra events
  • for a student in our group who is going through a difficult time. Her family are Hindu and she’s not free to follow Christ the way she would like. Thanks to the GBU she was able to attend a bible study for the first time in her life, but is now having difficulty coming along. Please pray that God would give her strength during this time and that he could soften the hearts of her family.

GBU Verona

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The GBU group in Verona was formed not long ago but, as the Lord says, “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20), so even if there aren’t many of us, we have seen God working in the group, giving us a unique opportunity to meet together to study his word! We are working to share the blessings that God has given us with other students, in the hope that we can help and support those that need it.

Praise:

  • the opportunity he gives us to study his word with other brothers and sisters.
  • the sense of community and family that exists in the group.

Prayer:

  • That the Lord will enable us to grow as a group, bringing more students along each time we meet together, students who don’t yet know God.
  • For all of us that are part of this group.
  • That God would give us wisdom in organising activities, so that we can speak of him more often in the university context.

GBU Urbino

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Praise:

  • immensely grateful for the new group of Christian students (and what a group!!!!) that God has given us this year. Here are the reasons why two of our students want to thank God:
  • “We thank God for the work of the GBU and that this year there has been a good number of freshers who have helped with activities from the very beginning. I believe it was God’s will to place me here, and I praise him for that.” Eunice
  • “At the beginning of the academic year, I asked God that I could be more active and useful for him. I prayed this prayer not yet knowing what the GBU was, so the way in which God answered has been significant because, at the same time, I’ve also discovered one of my gifts and how to use it to serve God. I know that nothing happens by chance, God’s plan is perfect.” Rachele
  • praise to God for the active participation of non-Christians in our activities.

Prayer:

  • Giacoma is about to graduate. Please pray that God would give us open hearts and ears to know which students are best suited to continue the work of the GBU as coordinators. More importantly, pray that we’d understand who it is that God wants to fill this (at times, quite challenging) role.
  • For our friends who continue to come along, not missing a single event; that God could break down any doubt or obstacle in their hearts and that he could enter their lives in a permanent way.
  • For the meetings planned for the months ahead, including a mini-training session for local students which we’ll be doing with Giovanni Donato at the end of April. A student from Ancona will also be joining us as he hopes to start a group there.

GBU Siena

Tempo di lettura: 2 minuti

The group in Siena have some important weeks ahead of them!
We’re preparing for the final sprint to the finish line, and in the next two months, marking the end of the academic year, we really are going to be working hard to put on lots of events. From 3rd to 6th May, we have our missions week which we’re calling “I’d like to believe, but…”
Each morning, the GBUers will be out and about doing questionnaires in the various faculties, whilst giving out flyers and inviting students to the different evening events. As for the evenings, we’ll have four different events with food, live music, a quiz and, most importantly, a time for sharing the gospel. We’ll actually be dealing with four of the most common obstacles which, according to university students, stop them from believing.
The missions week will be followed up with bible studies for the students interested in learning more about Jesus.
On 29th and 30th May we will be doing The Mark Drama, organised by the GBU in Siena in collaboration with brothers and sisters from two local churches who will be performing with us. We’re working hard towards this event and are looking for the perfect venue for the performance of The Mark Drama.

We really do have a lot get done, but we’re happy and eager to do it because it’s all for the Lord’s glory.
Praise:

  • a group that is constantly becoming more united, with GBUers always getting more involved in the university mission field
  • the possibility to periodically organise lots of events
  • God’s support in guiding us in the organisation of the upcoming events

Prayer:

  • The students in the GBU, their studies and their walk with the Lord
  • The missions week, The Mark Drama and everything that these two big events involve (especially a venue suitable for The Mark Drama)
  • The students that have already heard the gospel and will hear it again in the upcoming events. That the next few weeks would be decisive in their believing that Jesus is Lord and Saviour.

GBU Roma Tor Vergata

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Praise:

  • We want to thank God for how our meetings have started again! We’re continuing to read from John’s gospel.
  • We thank God for Samanta, a student who is really open to the gospel!! Please pray for her too!!

Prayer:

  • MEETINGS COMING UP IN MAY: We have decided to do four studies as part of a theme: the four types of love, as described by C.S. Lewis. During these four meetings in May, we will read some passages from the Bible, chosen by us, along with parts of Lewis’ book.
  • On 3rd May, we will be spending the day doing various surveys around the university and publicising our May meetings!! Please pray that we’d have good conversations and that the Lord would use these meetings for his glory.
  • The upcoming summer exam period. Please also pray for those working on their dissertations. Many students are close to graduating, pray that the Lord would sustain them.